Austin, Texas is a great city. With SXSW, Fantastic Fest, great food, music and friendly people, Austin is one of the places I love to visit as much as possible. I might even move there one day. Almost did a few months ago, truth be told, but it didn’t quite work out.

Anyway, even with that setback, “one day” still may be even sooner than I think because I’ve got yet another reason to love Austin: Google Fiber. That’s right, Google’s super fast fiber internet is heading to the Texas capital.

Currently only available in Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri, Google has announced that Austin will be the next city graced by its fiber love. Although homes won’t start getting connected until 2014, Google made a little video to tell you all about Fiber and what it means to the city. It also makes anyone not living in Austin very jealous.

Check it out after the break.

Before you read on, you should know we’re big fans of Don Coscarelli here at The Flickcast. If you’ve never seen his films like Bubba Ho-Tep or anything from his Phantasm series, you should really consider going out right now and finding them. Go ahead, we’ll wait.

Now that you have a better appreciation for Coscarelli’s brand of horror, you’re in for a treat. Turns out Magnet Releasing has picked up the rights to his latest horror opus called John Dies at the End. Described as a “phantasmagoric new sci-fi/horror film,” John Dies at the End stars Paul Giamatti, Chase Williamson, Rob Mayes, Clancy Brown, Glynn Turman and Doug Jones.

The film centers around Giamatti’s character and his investigation into a street drug known as Soy Sauce, which promises an out-of-body experience with each hit, causing users to drift across time and dimensions. Unfortunately, when some return, they are no longer human.

Check out more info from the official press release after the break. Look for John Dies at the End to hit VOD (and hopefully a few theaters) in December.

With all the big studio films that come out each month, we need to remind ourselves to keep an eye out for smaller, indie films that deserve attention. One of these is the upcoming horror/comedy The Revenant.

Winner of the Best Director and Audience Awards at last year’s Fantastic Fest, writer/director D. Kerry Prior stars David Anders (Alias and The Vampire Diaries) and Chris Wylde (The Ten). Here’s a bit on the story from the official sysnpsis:

This breakout horror comedy centers around a fallen soldier who somehow finds he has joined the ranks of the living dead. Bart Gregory (Anders) has just recently been laid to rest – so why is he still up and walking around? The only person Bart can turn to for answers is his best friend Joey (Wylde), and before long the two pals have surmised that blood is life. In order to survive, Bart requires a steady supply of it.

Convinced that no one will miss the drug dealers and killers who have transformed LA into a swirling cesspool of crime and vice, the two friends decide to do law enforcement a favor by cleaning up the streets while collecting the precious blood needed to keep poor Bart from withering away into dust!

Check out the red band trailer (and some bonus clips because we love you) after the break. Look for The Revenant via VOD and in select theaters on Friday the 24th.

Fantastic Fest is one of our favorite film festivals. It’s a place where fans of cool genre programming can get together and watch some awesome, and often obscure, films.

As in years past, this year’s fest looks to feature some great films and we’re pleased to bring you the announcement of the first wave of programming that will be showing during the fest. This programming includes the red carpet premiere of Dredd in 3D as well as retrospective screenings of films such as The Entity and Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining.

Check out the full press release below. Look for more on Fantastic Fest, which takes place in Austin, TX from September 20 to 27, in the weeks ahead.

Austin, TX—Monday, July 30, 2012— Judgment is coming to Fantastic Fest with the red carpet premiere of DREDD 3D and the festival’s initial lineup of incredible genre films. Fantastic Fest will take place September 20-27 in Austin, Texas at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar.

Even with Comic-Con in San Diego looming on the horizon, some of us are thinking farther down the road towards Austin, TX in September. That’s right, we’re thinking about Fantastic Fest, the amazing genre film festival that runs from September 20 to 27.

And, as thoughts turn to Fantastic Fest, so must they turn to films as well. In fact, we now know that one film in particular will open the festival on September 20th. That film? Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie.

In fact, it will be the world premiere for the film, with the studio taking it out officially on October 5. The black-and-white 3D sci-fi monster film, written by John August and directed by Burton, is about a boy who brings his beloved dog back to life — with just a few complications.

Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Martin Landau, Charlie Tahan, Atticus Shaffer, Robert Capron, Conchata Ferrell and Winona Ryder are among the actors contributing their voice talents. Looks like fun. Can’t wait to see it and to get to Austin.

Good times.